Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelflam’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbelflam’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; dark pink-colored flowers with darker pink-colored centers and venation; and good weather tolerance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunbelflam’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Sunbelflam’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new outwardly spreading Calibrachoas with large and attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2001, of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa cornuta identified as code number 9P6, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa cornuta identified as code number 9L2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since September, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sunbelflam have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbelflam’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunbelflam’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Pink-colored flowers with darker pink-colored centers and         venation.     -   7. Good weather tolerance; tolerant to rain and low and high         temperatures.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the female and male parent selections in flower size as plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of the parent selections. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the parent selections differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have red purple-colored flowers and plants of the male parent selection have light purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivar Sunbelochipi, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,355. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers with more acute petal apices than plants of the cultivar Sunbelochipi. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbelochipi differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunbelochipi had red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelflam’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Sunbelflam’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 15-cm containers for about four months were used for the aforementioned photographs and following description. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. During the production period, day temperatures were about 23° C. and night temperatures were about 13° C. Plants were pinched one time in the spring.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Sunbelflam. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9P6, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9L2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a your rooted plant.—About three weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; light brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Annual flowering plant;             upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.             Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 12.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, about 30 lateral branches             potentially develop per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 11.4 cm. Diameter:             About 1.8 mm. Internode length: About 1.6 cm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 3.9 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate;             reticulate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 143A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 147B. Petiole length: About 1.5 mm. Petiole             diameter: About 0.3 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Petiole color, upper and lower             surfaces: 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers face upright or outward;             single, axillary; salverform. Flowers not persistent. Freely             flowering habit, numerous flowers per plant, about two             flowers develop per lateral branch. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Spring to late autumn in Japan;             flowering continuous during this period.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering; plants begin flowering             about three to four weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 3.8 cm. Depth: About 3 cm.             Throat diameter (distal): About 8.2 mm. Tube diameter             (proximal): About 2.1 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 4.9 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: 72B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five petals             fused into flared trumpet. Petal length from throat: About             1.4 cm. Petal width: About 1.7 cm. Petal shape: Spatulate.             Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color:             Petal, when opening, upper surface: N74B; towards the             throat, N74A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: 75A;             venation, N77A. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: N74C;             towards the throat, N74B. Petal, when opening, lower             surface: 77C. Flower throat (inside): 13A; venation, N77A or             148A. Flower tube (outside): 154D; venation, N77A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.6 cm.             Width: About 3.4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper surface: 137A. Color, lower surface: 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 0.6 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1.1 mm.             Anther color: 15D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             10D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About             8.5 mm. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: 144B. Style             length: About 5.6 mm. Style color: 144C. Ovary color: 144B.         -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoas. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa are     tolerant to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from 0° C. to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelflam’, as illustrated and described. 